LOCAL > Principal acquitted over suggestion ‘to kill harmful kids before they can walk’

A Turkish court acquitted a controversial Erzurum principal today on charges stemming from his suggestion to kill children that could become harmful to society "before they can walk," daily Radikal reported.

A children's rights advocate group had filed a lawsuit against Principal Musrafa Aydın following his statement, accusing him of "insulting a section of the society based on social status."

Aydın reportedly apologized during the hearing and expressed regret over his words.

"Children should be analyzed immediately after birth. If they are to become harmful to this country, to this nation, then they should be eliminated before they can walk," Aydın had said during a meeting on preventing violence among children.

Aydın had also underlined the number of homeless or poor children in the neighborhood, blaming violence in the area on children from lower-income families.

"Ninety percent of the children with criminal tendencies have families supported by the Social Services," Aydın said.

The Education Ministry removed Aydın from his post following the incident, launching an investigation into the issue.